Ben's new tank

G

GiantBen

New member
So, I'm pulling the trigger on the acrylic tank. I'll post progress of the setup here. To start, here is my check list of everything I think I'll need. I've already started getting some things together. Feel free to comment.

[X] Tank
48x24x12 advanced acrylic tank

[X] Light
6-bulb 36" ATI Sunpower. (I think this will be good for what I want, although I'm sure there will be other opinions). I also bought a $20 moonlght kit which I may add to the light. Got all the hanging hardware as well.

[ ] Stand
Going to make this myself. Not decided on final details yet.

[X] Sump
Going to use one of the 24x24x12 frag tanks I got via Grant. I'll need to put some baffles in it, and decide on a flow configuration. I'm planning to have 30 pounds or so of live rock in it. I may add some Koralia Nanos to keep detritus from collecting too much. Never had a sump before, so still researching this.

[ ] Sump light
Not sure if I need a light for it. Thinking I'll get an LED bulb if I do. I probably will get something capable of supporting soft coral, since a lot of the rocks heading for my sump have mushrooms growing on them.

[X] Skimmer
Got a Bubble Magus NAC6.

[ ] Return Pump
Thinking of a Mag Drive 9.5. The vertical distance from the sump to the return in the tank if going to be 4.5-5 feet. I need to see what the bulkhead size on the tank is before I decide.

[ ] Base rock
Probably going to get 50lbs base, but not 100% decided yet.

[ ] New Sand
Probably get around 40lbs. I want a fairly shallow sand bed, since it is already a shalow tank.

[X] MP10ESw
I have one on my BC29 now, and plan to use it in the new tank.

[ ] Misc Plumbing
I'll figure out exactly what pipes/elbows I need once I get the sump configuration worked out, and see what the bulkhead size on the new tank is.

[ ] New Heater
Need at least one new heater. Planning to have it in the sump, near the return area.


Things I also want, but am considering adding after the tank is going

[ ] BRS Carbon/GFO reactor
Should I add this to start?

[ ] Pump for reactor
They recommend an MJ1200, which is fairly cheap.

[ ] Second MP10
Since the tank is so long, I'd like to have two of the ESw models working cooperatively at opposite ends of the tank.
 
I've found that instead of building partitions in your sump and divide up your available space, your best bet is to build a filter sock box that will only take up 1/6 of the space and the rest of the remainder space can be use for a skimmer and other things. If you want to see what one looks like you can swing by my house. I built mine out of acrylic.
 
I'll take you up on that for sure next week. I'm leaving town tonight and won't be back until Monday. I'll PM you when I get back, let me know when works for you.
 
Tom, I like your filter sock hangers. Nice job on those.

Having recently rebaffled my sump (and thus run without them for about two weeks being busy), one "for reals" advantage I find of having baffles is that it provides a stable water level upstream of the baffles which I think is beneficial for a protein skimmer. And with my heaters in there too, there's no chance of them being exposed to the air like spent fuel rods in a containment pond at a nuclear plant.

But are baffles absolutely necessary? No.

A couple baffle tips - plan at least 1.5 inches between them, or the flow will be too fast to allow small bubbles to escape. Also have water exit from the last baffle at the bottom of the sump, so if the level downstream of the baffles gets low, you won't have a cascading waterfall into there, causing more bubbles.
 
Good to know. I had only been looking at that one because inheard they were nice and at 5' head it was close to what I wanted flow wise. Any alternatives you would suggest?
 
Ben remember if your sump is 24x24x12 that is about 30 gallons. If the sump is half full it is about 15 gallons. With 30 lbs of live rock there is no room for anything else. I would suggest using filter sock holders thst hang on the side of the sump. Baffle an area for a skimmer and one for a refugium then for the return pump. And just a few pieces of live rock in the refugium area. But I would probably use a sump that is a taller than 12 inches. Cause you will really have to keep an eye on the water level with it being so shallow.
 
Reef Bass said:
Tom, I like your filter sock hangers. Nice job on those.

Having recently rebaffled my sump (and thus run without them for about two weeks being busy), one "for reals" advantage I find of having baffles is that it provides a stable water level upstream of the baffles which I think is beneficial for a protein skimmer. And with my heaters in there too, there's no chance of them being exposed to the air like spent fuel rods in a containment pond at a nuclear plant.

But are baffles absolutely necessary? No.

A couple baffle tips - plan at least 1.5 inches between them, or the flow will be too fast to allow small bubbles to escape. Also have water exit from the last baffle at the bottom of the sump, so if the level downstream of the baffles gets low, you won't have a cascading waterfall into there, causing more bubbles.
Click to expand...

Ken, I have a float valve and auto water top off so my water level stay constant all the time without the baffles :D Also, do you see bubbles in my tank? I designed the filter box so it does'nt give out bubbles and it also has a place for media filters too.
 
Tom, I should have known you'd have dialed in your water level some how. :)

You've been reefing long enough to potentially have experienced multiple float switch failures. What advice could you give on auto topoff mechanisms and how does your topoff setup work?
 
Thanks Ken, my setup is very simple because simple works the best in this case :D, and it has been working for me for years so I don't see a reason to change.

Basically I mount a Kent float valve in my sump at the desireable water level. connect the tubing to the output of my kalk reactor, and the reactor water is fed by gravity from a 20 gal water tank that I filled up with fresh RO water. This will maintain my water level for about 5 days. When I go on vacation I connect the water to a 55 gal tank and that will last for about 3 weeks or so. Once a month I'll clean the water line at the float valve to keep the water flowing cleanly. Other than that it is very maintenance free.
 
coralfarmer said:
Ben remember if your sump is 24x24x12 that is about 30 gallons. If the sump is half full it is about 15 gallons.
Click to expand...
So this may be a noob-ish question, but why would it only be half full? I was planning to have the water line close to 10"-11". I'm not apposed to getting a taller sump, just want to know if there is a fundamental reason to not have it higher. I also have an ATO that I was planning to connect. I am using it on my BC29 now, since I get about 4 gallons of evap a week and don't care for doing hand top offs daily. My current switch is attached by suction cups. I am probably going to upgrade this because I worry about it disconnecting and my tank getting the whole ATO resevoir dumped into it.

Picked up the tank this weekend. I need to inspect it, water test it, etc.
 
You want the sump to be able to handle the additional water that the main tank and your skimmer will drain into the sump when the power goes out. Plus you might add additional equipment into the sump down the road. So it is always good to leave some room for errors :D
 
I see. Okay, that makes sense. I suppose it would be nice if it could accomodate an ATO failure, so that at least the extra water won't end up on the floor. I've got two of these 24x24x12 tanks, maybe I'll use both. Thanks guys.
 
I was more thinking of having the water level at 10", with an overflow pipe at 11".
The second tank would never be used except in the case that there is a failure and the first one would have overflown into the floor. I suppose I'd still need enough room for skimmer/overflow capcaity, as you previously mentioned, or I would get into the second tank whenever I turn the pumps off. Maybe I'm back to James's suggestion of a taller sump.
 
For your size tank, the 30 gal sump is going to be just fine, just make sure your water level is at half when the system is running then you will be fine.

Let say you have an overflow tank and then the power goes out, water overflow into it, and then the power goes back on, now what about the water in the overflow tank?
 
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